Judo Grip: How To Get Correct Control Of The Inside Lapel

A Little Video On Judo Grip

As anybody who has read my blog would know that I think practising grip fighting is a very bad idea. If you don't know how to attack from any judo grip you can get, you will be beaten by somebody who does. Your objective is to throw your opponent not get a grip on them.

Beside, watching two Judoka grip fighting in a competition is boring and looks like children playing patter cake rather than serious martial arts.

However once you get a grip you do need to know what to do with it and Matt gives a very good description on how to use and inside lapel grip. It is not enough to just simply have an inside lapel grip. You have to be able to take advantage of being in that position.

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To Make this work as with anything you would have to make sure that you practice this grip until it becomes automatic. Seems obvious I know but a significant number of Judokado do not registrar the word automatic when they are told this.

There is very little time between when you take this grip and when your opponent will attempt to pull you in so you have you won't have time to think about how to use the grip. You have to respond instantly and that requires training until the movement is automatic.